Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Broomfield, Colorado 80021
Saturday, June 26, 2010 13:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was returning from a retardant drop on a forest fire when the crew noted that the airplane’s main hydraulic system had failed. They configured the airplane using the emergency systems and declared an emergency. After landing on the runway, the pilot elected to exit the runway using the high-speed taxiway that went to the tanker base ramp. When he tried to stop the airplane using the emergency system brakes, there was no braking response. The airplane crossed the tanker ramp, exited the prepared surface, and went through the airport perimeter fence, down an embankment, and onto a road. According to the airplane flight manual, the procedure for a hydraulic system failure is to land and stop on the runway using the emergency brake and accumulator pressure. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s hydraulic system showed a rupture in the line that interconnects the main hydraulic system and retardant tank system. No other systems anomalies were found. The crew later reported that when the co-pilot lowered the nose gear using the emergency gear extension system, she did not return the emergency nose gear extension system selector to the “neutral” position, and it remained in the “bypass” position. This shut off the emergency system hydraulic system pressure to the elevator flight control and emergency brakes.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to follow published emergency procedures by taxiing to the parking ramp with a known hydraulic system failure. Contributing to the accident was the co-pilot’s improper selection of the bypass position on the emergency nose gear extension system, which shut off emergency hydraulic system pressure to the brakes, and a ruptured hydraulic line, which resulted in a total loss of the main hydraulic system pressure.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/2010
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Broomfield
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80021
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395431N
Event Location Longitude 1050702W
Event Location Airport Rocky Mountain Metropolitan
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BJC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29895
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 25 2012 6:25PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1386C
NTSB Number CEN10TA355
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Public Use
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LOCKHEED
Aircraft Model P2V-5
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 128422
Certified Max Gross Weight 80000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 15 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6610
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name NEPTUNE AVIATION SERVICES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2 CORPORATE WAY
Aircraft Owner City MISSOULA
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59808-8675
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name (USDA) Forestry Service
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BJC
Departure City Broomfield
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1150
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BJC
Destination City Broomfield
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 7 2012 2:58PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29R
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --